Fury was awarded a deserved unanimous verdict by margins of 118-111 and 117-112 (twice) on the judges' scorecards.

Eyebrows were raised when Chisora tipped the scales at weigh in with a career-high reading of 18st 9lbs - almost half a stone heavier than Fury to whom he gave up eight inches in height.

And the extra poundage proved to be crucial as the champion appeared to run out of steam in the middle of the contest after shaking his opponent in the second, only to stage a thrilling but desperate rally in the championship rounds.

In stark contrast to Chisora's unexpectedly robust appearance, Fury credited being close to his physical peak as the reason for his win.

Indeed, he felt he might have won inside the distance but for a hand injury.

"I was in the best shape of my career tonight," he said. "I'm tired because I've boxed 12 rounds but to be honest I could have gone 20.

"I hit him with some good punches. I hit him with body shots, I hit him with head shots and wobbled him a few times.

"I might well have finished him and I'm not one to make excuses, but my hand is hurt and I don't tell any lies about that.

"I think I could have finished him if my hand wasn't hurt, but then again it's about 12-round boxing."

Fury displayed composure when he refused to respond to Chisora's possum act in round eight and dismissed his opponent's tactic as crude kidology,

"He was conning me on," he added. "He wanted me to unload so he could come back with about 25 shots, but it's just about brains isn't it?"

WBO, IBF and WBA champion Wladimir Klitschko openly discussed the prospect of facing the winner in the build up to the Wembley Arena showdown, and now Fury can dream of a date with destiny.

Chisora has had two proposed bouts with the Ukrainian cancelled within the past eight months, but he looked a long way short of a fighter ready to share such exulted company for long periods against the 23-year-old.

Fury edged round one by exhibiting sharper work and a grin broke out across the challenger's face when he found the target with a telling right cross.

The Mancunian had less to be cheerful about in an explosive second as his low guard was exposed by a winging Chisora left hook followed by a thunderous overhand right that had him staggering around the ring before eventually grabbing hold.

Fury came back by ripping a couple of his own hooks to Chisora's body before absorbing further concussive shots upstairs.

Chisora's cute head movement appeared to desert him in the third round and Fury put his deceptive hand speed to work, but the Londoner was back in the ascendancy in four, landing the haymaker left hook with alarming frequency.

The topsy-turvy nature of the bout continued in five as Fury's combinations came together beautifully and he landed at will to head and body. Wildly off-target overhand rights were Chisora's only riposte.

The champion, now bleeding from the mouth, trudged disconsolately back to his corner and he returned there in round six as Fury toyed with him on the ropes.

The snap from Chisora's increasingly sporadic attacks had all but disappeared in round seven and his main contribution to the eighth was to egg Fury towards him with some bizarre horseplay in the corner.

By 10 the champion appeared out on his feet as Fury landed successive combinations to the head and body at close quarters, only for a ferocious return of fire to appear from nowhere.

Chisora loaded up on successive hooks to have his man clinging on and almost tumbling the pair over the ropes.

He tried to continue the assault in round 11 but Fury resumed total control by the final session to close out victory.